Extraction of vitamins



solvents for the vitamin Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,017,942 t EXTRACTION or VITAMINS Sophie Botcharsky, London,

England, assixnor of one-fitth to Solomon Teitelbaum No Drawing.

6 Claim.

This invention relates to fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and the like and thruout the steps 01 the process.

Another object 01' the invention is to employ sufiiciently high volatility the highly concentrated pairment or loss.

Heretoi'ore in the extraction of tat soluble vi- Application April 2,

In Great 1932, Serial Britain June 25, 1931 the solvent is being active form.

distilled in vitamin in a vacuum, the residue 5 highly concentrated In order that this invention may be i'ully understood I shall describe it with reference to the use of animal liver as the food source. This is given merely as a typical illustration of my process.

of the solvent to be employed.

As an alternative step to the use of hot the minced liver in the somewhat, say and dried.

If the hot to 15 C'.,

(about to pressure.

C.) and at sub-atmospheric, 4,5 The dried mass is subsequently cooled. hot process or that 01' water; sayabout twice its volume, oi, pe troleum ether (boiling range 45 C.) or as another example pure alcohol, for a suitable time, say 6 hours.

The mixture is then illtered and the solvent distilled oil. at a moderate temperature, ior example on a suitable bath such as water, and ina vacuum. The solvent is largely recovered and in a substantially Pure state, the iats remaining in the residue as the distillation is performed at a temperature materially below the point of volatility oi the iat.

All oi these steps are carried out, whenever possible in an inert atmosphere, nitrogen or some other suitable gas.

The residue, aiter the distillation oi the solvent, is the concentrated iat soluble vitamin, predominantly vitamin A.

This final product has neither smell nor taste, and presents a golden yellow color. It is soluble in oils and also in the usual iat solvents such as ether, alcohol, etc. The curative dose is about 0.25 gram, the preventive dose being accordingly smaller.

It will be understood that various other iood sources may be employed in the extraction oi the vitamins and various modifications in the steps oi the process oi the example may be made. Further it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the various iood sources, temperatures, times or reagents exemplified except as restricted by the appended claims.

,1. The process oi extracting iat mins from iood sources comprising mincing the iood and subjecting the same to plasmolysis, causing any remaining whole cells oi the iood to burst by the addition oi a suitable quantity oi deaerated hot water oi such temperature that the resultant mixture does not exceed 75 0., cooling soluble vitathe mixture, filtering the same under pressure,

drying the residue at a relatively low temperature below atmospheric pressure and cooling and crushing the same, and extracting it with a low boiling solvent ior the iat soluble vitamins, illtering and distilling oil the solvent at low temperature in a vacuum, all oi which steps are carried on in an inert atmosphere.

2. The process oi extracting iat soluble vitamins irom iood sources comprising mincing the iood and subjecting the same to plasmolysis, causing any remaining whole cells oi the food to burst by subjecting the mixture to slow ireezing, slightly warming the mixture, filtering it under pressure, drying and crushing the same, and extracting it with a low boiling solvent ior the iat soluble vitamins, filtering and distilling oi! the solvent at low temperature in a vacuum, all oi which steps are carried on in an inert atmosphere.

3. A highly concentrated, odorless and tasteless iat soluble vitamin extraction product containing substantially the iull amount oi vitamin material present in the source oi extraction combined with the iats oi the source oi extraction, said product being obtained by a process combining the steps 0! plasmolysis and solvent extraction. I

4. The process oi extracting iat soluble vitamins irom iood sources including bursting the iood cells by the combined action oi plasmolysis and heat at a temperature at which the vitamins are not destroyed and removing the vitamin constituents by a suitable solvent ior the iat soluble vitamins.

5. The process 0! mins irom iood sources extracting iat soluble vitaincluding bursting the action oi plasmolysis ireezing and removing the vitamin constituents by suitable solvents ior the iat solublevitamins.

6. The process oi extracting iat soluble vitamins irom iood sources comprising mincing the iood, bursting the iood cells by the addition oi hot deaerated water, extracting the vitamin coniat soluble vitamins, the solvent, perature throughout the process being maintained below that at which the vitamins are destroyed.

SOPHIE BOTCHARSK 

